About

RickB- Human, Artist, Fool.

Ynys Mon, UK.

The blog is called ten percent because of what Kurt Vonnegut wrote when remembering Susan Sontag - She was asked what she had learned from the Holocaust, and she said that 10 percent of any population is cruel, no matter what, and that 10 percent is merciful, no matter what, and that the remaining 80 percent could be moved in either direction.-

And I'm writing it because I need the therapy and I lust for world domination.

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UK Border Agency Helping Ahmadinejad’s Regime

31 January, 2010 — RickB

In the light of massive Human Rights violations in Iran and the worsening situation under the hardline government of President Ahmadinejad we appeal to the government of the United Kingdom to lift the threat of deportation to Iran hanging over two brothers aged 19 and 15 at Quintin Kynaston School, Westminster, and their mother.

* The brothers are now 22 and 18. The older boy has now completed his schooling, has gained a Diploma with Merit in Art and Design from Byam Shaw School of Art and is now a BA Hons student at Central St Martins College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London.

Following the arrest of the boys’ father at Teheran Airport in April 2005 the older boy and his mother have been tried by the Revolutionary Court in Iran because of their political views and sentenced in absentia to prison sentences of 5 and 7 years.

Torture is routine in Iranian prisons and in accordance with common practice it is highly likely they will also receive a brutal punishment of lashes. (ht2 Stroppybird)

Please sign the petition here. This is curious, even as the leaders attempt new conflict enabling sanctions their concern is not for human rights, they gladly return Iranians to be persecuted by the authoritarian government. As Blair tried on Friday, Iran is still in the cross hairs for the next war crime, it is essential we both expose and halt that and support Iranians against authoritarians in their own country. Only a piece of shit like Blair can look at Iraq and think- yeah that worked out, let’s do that again. Pauline Levis adds-

As a former teacher at the boys’ school and now a close family friend, I have known Behnam since his arrival at the school in 2003. I vouch for the family’s complete integrity and for the authenticity of their asylum claim. Behnam is a delightful, popular young man, an excellent role model for young people. In recognition of his achievements under adversity he was Highly Commended at the Anne Frank Awards in 2007. In 2008 he was made an Ambassador for Refugees and Arts by the Refugees & the Arts Initiative. In June 2009 Behnam was invited to work alongside an established artist facilitating a day of workshops on Islamic glasspainting at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Much of Behnam’s artwork reflects his open-minded approach to politics and religion and his strong opposition to the current theocratic regime in Iran. This, alone, would place him in great danger in today’s Iran.

In 2008 Behnam held an exhibition “Visions of Freedom” at the Watermans Arts Centre, Brentford, his fifth solo art exhibition in London. His latest exhibition, “Where is Their Vote?”, was inspired by the courage of the protesters following the Presidential Election of June, 2009. He has also exhibited alongside other artists including at venues that include the Human Rights Centre of Amnesty International, St Ethelberga’s Church of Reconciliation, Portsmouth University and the Free Word Centre. He and his family are an enormous asset to our society.

This is similar to how queers are sometimes returned to Iran, facing a high likelihood of being killed. The human rights rhetoric by western governments on Iran is not being matched by those governments’ asylum policies.

I think the asylum policies reveal their true lack of concern for human rights, a false concern they use as a cover for their Realpolitik manoeuvring to convince populations not to rebel when their disastrous warmongering imperils millions of lives at home and abroad, they claim a moral imperative that simply is a lie. As the way they treat their own citizens can show us even before we get to their appalling treatment of refugees.